Industrial Project Development

The firm is actively involved in the representation of industrial clients who are developing new projects in Mississippi or expanding existing operations.  These projects include representation of a major new automotive assembly plant, automotive suppliers, a shipyard, an unmanned air vehicle facility, and a variety of other manufacturers.  To effectively assist clients in such projects, the firm assembles a multi-disciplinary team for each with the appropriate legal specialties for the project that typically include Economic Development Tax Incentives, financing, environmental / permitting and other regulatory assistance, real estate, and other commercial activities.

Representative Matters

• Recently, Toyota selected Mississippi as the site of a new, $1.3 billion automotive assembly plant.  A number of states were competing to recruit Toyota, and each had offered a variety of incentives.  Toyota selected the Firm to represent it in all phases of project development, beginning with the evaluation incentives offered by Mississippi and, once this state was selected, the implementation of those incentives.  Firm members specializing in Economic Development Tax Incentives assisted Toyota in implementing the incentives offered by Mississippi, which included advice concerning available incentives and negotiating contracts with state and local entities necessary to implement the same as well as working with the Governor’s office and Mississippi Development Authority to prepare and seek passage of special legislation supporting the project.

• When Mississippi recently recruited a major new steel manufacturer, the state decided it required outside legal assistance to advise it with respect to this complex commercial and financing transaction.  The Firm was retained by the Mississippi Development Authority, which it represents in its dealings with the project company, working closely with MDA staff to negotiate and implement a large incentive and financing package approved by the Mississippi Legislature.